A Boy Made King

Growing up, one of the stories that always stuck out to me was the story of a young boy who found himself in a position where responsibility was thrust upon him. Josiah was only 8-years old when he took his father's place as king. What I find most notable about Josiah is not so much the fact that he ruled at a young age, but more so with the way in which he ruled. God's people were in a rough situation when Josiah took control. The once great kingdom of Israel had been separated into two different nations, Israel in the North and Judah in the South. His grandfather, Manasseh, ruled for 55-years in Jerusalem doing what was evil in the sight of the Lord (2 Kings 21:1-2) and his father, Amon reigned for 2 years doing what was evil in the sight of the Lord (2 Kings 21:19). It was this lost and divided nation that Josiah inherited. How easy it would have been easy for Josiah to follow in the ways of his fathers.

For 57 years the kingdom of Judah had been led into evil by Josiah's father and grandfather. Josiah resisted. We read that in the 8th year of Josiah's reign, when he was only 16 years old, he began to seek after the God of David and in the 12th year of his reign he was purging Judah of the idols that had replaced the true God (2 Chronicles 34:3). Perhaps the greatest condemnation of God’s people is that they had lost the Book of the Law within the very house of God.

Throughout Josiah's life it would have been easy for him to go along with the status quo, but that is not what he did. Josiah overcame the influences of his past and sought after God even at a young age. Josiah's devotion to God was one that shaped the world around him. He purged his nation of idols and set his country back on the right path. Josiah used his influence for the betterment of God's kingdom.

Sometimes I wonder, if I were in his shoes would I be able to make the same kind of decisions? Could I overcome my past and serve God in a land that has forsaken him? As Christians we find ourselves in a world that has abandoned God, a world that does what is good in their own eyes. If we learn from the example of this boy king and serve God from our youth, our influence will be great.